FlowMetrix System wins irrigation award

The Irrigation Association announced the winners of the 2013 New Product Contest as part of the recent Irrigation Show and Education Conference in Austin, Texas.

The contest highlights innovative products introduced to markets in the last year in three categories: agriculture, landscape/golf and specialty. Each entry was judged on innovative and/or “changed for the better” qualities, increased water efficiency, ease of use, cost benefits, time savings and design quality.

“With 50 entries, this was the largest contest we’ve had since its inception,” said 2013 – 2014 IA President Warren Thoma. “This number says great things about the status of innovation in our industry.”

Judges named a winner and two honorable mentions in each category, and AgProfessional is highlighting the agriculture winners because those category winners are of interest to our readers and website visitors.

The agriculture winner was the FlowMetrix System from Waterman Industries. At the basic level, it combines one of the company’s gates with an electric operator and a position sensor. But the upgrades are what makes it extremely useful.

The addition of a flow meter and/or water level sensor for use of the system allows for a high level of automation where controlling water flow by a gate is automated based on flow rate or a water level.

Telemetry with the system allows viewing and setting of parameters from a website for operation. Access to the website can be by mobile phone, iPad or laptop computer. The irrigator can use the sensor inputs to make educated decisions on how to remotely operate the gate and have it automatically operate.

Honorable mentions in the agricultural category went to Lindsay Corporation for its NFTrax and Jain Irrigation Inc. for its Turbo Tape PC.